Digital Marketing Trends Update

Playing catch-up with the market trends? 2021 is well underway although the pandemic still impacts life and some days it’s difficult to know which year we are in let alone which month. The top digital marketing trends though have, of necessity, ballooned during lockdowns and Covid-19 restrictions and it’s even more imperative to get on board now. Here are 4 of those trends set to intensify this year:

Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Not so many years ago this was the stuff of science fiction but now is an established and valued part of marketing. AI is likely to continue to reduce costs, speed up and increase productivity and help companies steal a march on other competitors. Customers expect companies to realize what they want so AI-powered marketing can not only curate but also anticipate those needs with speed and a high degree of accuracy. Personalization is frequently mooted as the keystone to successful 21^st century marketing. AI developments are helping personalize all areas of eCommerce – websites, social media, emails, videos and so on (q.v). The implementation of all new relevant advancements in AI technology cannot be ignored by any individual marketer, company or industry.

Personalization.

As noted above, personalization is key right now to successful marketing. Looking at the stats analyzed by Single Grain, a prime digital marketing agency, consumers have been overblasted with generic advertising. Customers are more likely to respond to companies that offer personalized experiences. At the beginning of 2020 some experts were advising marketers to beware of overhyping personalization, probably wisely at the time – but Covid-19 happened, things shifted, and eCommerce just got bigger. Consumers expect interaction with brands understanding their interests and supplying their purchasing needs. Feedback from consumers is an important aspect of campaigns used effectively by such massively successful giants as Amazon and Netflix to influence sales and create algorithms for future personalized marketing strategies.

Video Marketing.

Videos undoubtedly boost consumer confidence. In simple terms, customers want to see what it is they are being asked to purchase, or what they are interested in buying. Enforced home-based life in the last year has only encouraged this trend. Forbes suggests that short videos with quick edits are growing in popularity and effective business tools, moving up from former youth-oriented to all-age target groups. Yet all types of video content seem to be lapped up by consumers at the moment with many marketers now focusing on using Live video to grow their businesses. As such, video optimization is also becoming increasingly important with YouTube and other channels putting out guides on video SEO expecting this trend to continue for years to come.

Influencer Marketing.

This trend is predicted to just get bigger this year and onwards. Brands have been adopting this method using big names and celebrities to promote their products, increasingly using videos to reach audiences. This year the move is more towards real-life users in peer groups such as mums or pet owners to appeal to consumers.

These marketing trends have all been impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic and are likely to continue for some time but life back in the outside world may yet bring more new influences.